Inhibitor switch and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

An inhibitor switch for detecting a shift position of a select lever is provided with: a terminal block fixed in a transmission case of an automatic transmission; a contact plate provided in the terminal block; an operating portion configured to cooperatively move with the select lever and to move along the contact plate; a movable contact formed on the operating portion and configured to slide on the contact plate to form an electric circuit according to a contact position between the contact plate and the movable contact; at least one disconnecting portion formed in the contact plate and cut at a plurality of positions after the contact plate is provided in the terminal block for interrupting electrical conduction; and at least one set of a plurality of disconnecting holes for cutting the disconnecting portion and formed in the terminal block by primary molding. The disconnecting holes respectively correspond to the plurality of positions at which the disconnecting portion is cut. The plurality of disconnecting holes are sealed by secondary molding after the disconnecting portion is cut.

1. An inhibitor switch for detecting a shift position of a select lever, comprising:
 a terminal block to be fixed in a transmission case of an automatic transmission; 
 a contact plate provided in the terminal block; 
 an operating portion configured to cooperatively move with the select lever and to move along the contact plate; 
 a movable contact formed on the operating portion and configured to slide on the contact plate to form an electric circuit according to a contact position between the contact plate and the movable contact; 
 a disconnecting portion formed in the contact plate and cut at a plurality of positions after the contact plate is provided in the terminal block for interrupting electrical conduction; and 
 a plurality of disconnecting holes for cutting the disconnecting portion at the plurality of positions and formed by primary molding in the terminal block at a portion corresponding to the disconnecting portion, wherein the plurality of disconnecting holes are sealed by secondary molding after the disconnecting portion is cut. 
 
     
     
       2. The inhibitor switch according to  claim 1 , wherein the contact plate includes a plurality of stages,
 wherein the stages respectively include disconnecting portions, and 
 wherein the terminal block includes a plurality of sets of disconnecting holes respectively correspond to the disconnecting portions. 
 
     
     
       3. The inhibitor switch according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the contact plate has a plurality of contact portions which are configured to contact the movable contact, and 
 wherein the disconnecting portion connects the plurality of contact portions before the disconnecting portion is cut. 
 
     
     
       4. A method of manufacturing an inhibitor switch for detecting a shift position of a select lever, the inhibitor switch including:
 a terminal block to be fixed in a transmission case of an automatic transmission; 
 a contact plate formed in the terminal block; 
 an operating portion configured to cooperatively move with the select lever and to move along the contact plate; and 
 a movable contact formed on the operating portion and configured to slide on the contact plate to form an electric circuit according to a contact position between the contact plate and the movable contact, 
 the method comprising: 
 providing a disconnecting portion in the contact plate; 
 cutting the disconnecting portion at a plurality of positions, after the contact plate is provided in the terminal block, to interrupt electrical conduction; 
 forming a plurality of disconnecting holes, for cutting the disconnecting portion at the plurality of positions, in the terminal block by primary molding at a portion corresponding to the disconnecting portion; and 
 sealing the disconnecting holes by secondary molding after the disconnecting portion is cut. 
 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 fitting a cutoff member into the disconnecting holes so as to cut the disconnecting portion at the plurality of positions. 
 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 forming the contact plate in a plurality of stages, the stages respectively including disconnecting portions; 
 providing a plurality of sets of disconnecting holes in the terminal block, wherein the respective sets correspond to the disconnecting portions; and 
 fitting the cutoff member into each of the disconnecting holes to cut each of the disconnecting portions of the plurality of stages of contact plates at a plurality of positions. 
 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the contact plate has a plurality of contact portions which are configured to contact the movable contact, and 
 wherein the disconnecting portion connects the plurality of contact portions before the disconnecting portion is cut.